Splitting or bailing….or both?

[GoBlue923]

I’ve had this frogspawn in my tank for 3-4 months and he’s been thriving. The other day it looked like the head was splitting but now it looks like it’s bailing? Thoughts? Anything I can/should do to try to save him?

 

[Pistondog]

I’ve had this frogspawn in my tank for 3-4 months and he’s been thriving. The other day it looked like the head was splitting but now it looks like it’s bailing? Thoughts? Anything I can/should do to try to save him?

From the pic it looks like splitting.

 

[GoBlue923]

I thought the same thing but the polyps have receded away from the skeleton quite a bit. Never seen one split. Do the polyps normally recede that far when splitting?

 

[Pistondog]

I thought the same thing but the polyps have receded away from the skeleton quite a bit. Never seen one split. Do the polyps normally recede that far when splitting?

Sorry can't answer that. It looks like it's splitting.

 

[GoBlue923]

Sorry can't answer that. It looks like it's splitting.

So I believe it was splitting but then decided to bail. I suspect one of my emerald crabs decided it was food and went to town on it. I saw one picking at it last night and actually pulled polyps off until I whacked him with my aquarium tool. I now believe this is also what happened to my torch last week. That crab will not live to see another night.

 

[Dburr1014]

Those heads are receded pretty far. Could it be it was dying in the crab took advantage of it? Do you have any other corals like that are receding?

 

[officialreefbros]

That doesn't look like splitting to me. Mine has always gone in a little but while splitting but never that much/wilty. What are your water parameters like?

 

[GoBlue923]

That doesn't look like splitting to me. Mine has always gone in a little but while splitting but never that much/wilty. What are your water parameters like?

Those heads are receded pretty far. Could it be it was dying in the crab took advantage of it? Do you have any other corals like that are receding?

That is one theory I’m entertaining. I’m just not sure with all of my water parameters looking pretty good except nitrates are low. I’ve tried to bring them up but I just get crazy hair algae growth. I have a couple of theories. One thing I did to try to help combat the hair algae was dosing Vibrant a few weeks ago. The two tangs and 4 emerald crabs I have weren’t keeping the hair algae at bay. I still clean it out regularly but not near as much as I used to. Another theory is the Vibrant caused an issue with euphyllia but it’s supposed to be safe when used in accordance with the directions. Another would be the Vibrant removed a food source for the emeralds so they went rogue on my delicious looking euphyllia to fill the void. Finally maybe a trace element issue because I lost a torch last week as well but that could be any of the other options as well. When the torch started going I did see an emerald crab in the vicinity of the torch. I’d have to send in and ICP test to check for trace elements. I know my nitrates are below recommended so I target feed the corals 3-4 times per week mysis and reef roids. I’ve tried to bring them up in a responsible manner (without spiking them). I’ve ran my skimmer with the cup removed for a few days. I stopped doing daily water changes for two weeks. Still my nitrates remain low.

Salinity:
Temp: 77-78 degrees
pH: 8.23-8.33
Alk: 9 dKh
Calcium: 433
Magnesium: 1330
Nitrates: .6
Phosphates: .04

 

[Kongar]

dying while in the process of splitting is my vote. Lost a torch about a year ago and that's exactly what it looked like. It had started to split, then when it shrunk - it more "tore" apart. My other four splitters more "grew into two" than "split" The only exception to that is mushrooms. Those buggers decide to split, and when they do - they literally tear themselves in two over 24 hours. My current torch and hammer have gone from 1 head to 4, and they just kept growing into more heads.

 

[Duncan62]

Sorry can't answer that. It looks like it's splitting.

Torches do that. I've had some hammers do the same thing. They'll retract till they look gone then be back the next day.

 

[GoBlue923]

Torches do that. I've had some hammers do the same thing. They'll retract till they look gone then be back the next day.

My torch is definitely gone. Just the skeleton sitting there for a few days. I placed the polyps that still looked decent in a rock crevice. I’ve heard if they aren’t totally dead they can regrow a skeleton. My frogspawn has only gotten worse. It is possible the emeralds were just trying to cleanup the decaying polyps but I’m really not sure. I’ve read stories where people say their emeralds are munching on corals. Only thing that seems to have been affected are my euphyllia.

 

[Dburr1014]

My torch is definitely gone. Just the skeleton sitting there for a few days. I placed the polyps that still looked decent in a rock crevice. I’ve heard if they aren’t totally dead they can regrow a skeleton. My frogspawn has only gotten worse. It is possible the emeralds were just trying to cleanup the decaying polyps but I’m really not sure. I’ve read stories where people say their emeralds are munching on corals. Only thing that seems to have been affected are my euphyllia.

Sorry for your loss.
I have to disagree they split like that. Showing skeleton is not how they split if they are healthy. The head flesh should come around the head and flow down the sides at least 1/2".

 

[Duncan62]

Sorry for your loss.
I have to disagree they split like that. Showing skeleton is not how they split if they are healthy. The head flesh should come around the head and flow down the sides at least 1/2".

Was it one head to start with? I went back and looked. Mine are all more eractic when the split is almost complete. Tough to watch I'm sure. Hope you figure it out.